Weighing-machine



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. H. RLOHARDS. WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 589,291. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

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(No Model'.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

P. H. RICHARDS. WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 589,291. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

3. H. RICHARDS. v WEIGHING MACHINE.

Patentd Aug. 31,1897.

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Witnesses:

6M 40, W. W yQv-w UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

WElGHING- MACHINE.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,291, dated August 31, 1897.

Application filed March 23,1897. Serial No. 628,827. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FRANCIS H. Brent inns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVeighing-h/Iachines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to weighing-machines, one object of the invention being to provide, in connection with the beam mechanism and load-receiver of a weighing-machine, improved stream supplying and controlling means embodying a chute, a valve supported in operative relation with the chute, a driving clutch member adapted to be continuously operated during the weighing operation, a driven clutch member carried by the valve, and means controlled by the beam mechanism for effecting an operative engagement between the two clutch members to actuate said valve.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of a weighing-machine embod ying my present improvements, a portion of the base and one of the discharge members being broken away to illustrate more clearly other parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the weighing-machine, a portion of the framework being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, of a portion of one end of the scale-beam and the valve-actuating lever or auxiliary scale-beam in pivotal connection therewith. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partially in full and partially in dotted lines, of the weighing-machine as seen from the leftin Fig. 1, a portion of the framework being broken away, and showing the parts of the weighing mechanism in the positions they occupy when the load-receiver is in its normal elevated position and when the stream-controller or valve is in its wide-open position. Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 3, a portion of the base, framework, and loadreceiver being broken away, showing the parts of the weighing mechanism in the positions they occupy when the load-receiver is in its poised position and the valve or streamcontroller is in its drip position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the parts of the weighing mechanism in the positions they occupy when the load-receiver is in its overpoised position and is discharging the load, the stream-controller or valve being shown in its fully-closed position; and Fig. 6 is a plan view, partially in section, of parts of the stream supplying and controlling instrumentalities.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The framework for carrying the several parts of the weighing-machine may be of any suitable construction, it being shown similar in a general way to the framework of the weighing-machine described in Letters Patent of the United States No. M61840, granted to me October 29, 1895, to which reference may be had, and it consists, in the form shown, of a chambered base 3, having end frames 2 and 4 extending upward therefrom and joined together at their upper ends by a top plate or beam 5, which carries the supply chute or hopper H, which may be of any suitable or well-known construction.

The weighing mechanism proper, which is preferably similar in operation to that described in the patent hereinbefore referred to, comprises beam mechanism and a loadreceiver supported thereby for ascending and descending movements therewith.

The load-receiver, which is designated by G and which maybe of the well-known si11- gle-chambered-bucket type, is supported for oscillatory movement on the poising end of the beam mechanism in a well-known manner, said beam mechanism consisting of a beam 13, embodying a pair of horizontallyparallel arms fulcrumed intermediate their ends 011 the base 3 in the usual manner and joined together at theirouter ends by a counterweight 7, each arm of the beam B being furnished intermediate the fulcrum and inner end thereof with a knife-edge pivot for supporting the load-receiver.

The load-receiver G has the usual discharge-opening, which is normally covered by a load-discharge device or closer. This loaddischarge device in the preferred form thereof shown in the drawings is in the nature of a duplex closer comprising two closer members, (designated by L and L, respectively.) The main closer member L is shown somewhat in the nature of a chute or hopper, embodying an inclined bottom wall 9, side walls or flanges 12 and 12, and the front and rear walls 13 and 13, which walls are so disposed as to form a discharge-spout ll at the forward end of the closer member, having a discharge-opening of an area considerably less than the area of the discharge-opening in the load-receiver G. This closer member L is shown pivotally supported at 15 on a bracket 15, fixed to the rear wall of the load-receiver near the lower end thereof and furnished with a counterweighted arm 16, adapted for retaining said closer member normally in the closed position. (Shown in Fig. 4.) The rear wall 13 of the closer-hopper L is shown concentric to the axis 15, so that this wall may lie in such close proximity to the lower side edge of the receiver G as to prevent the escape of material at this end of the closerhopper and at the same time permit an unobstructed movement of such hopper. The closer L, which is shown in the nature of a fiat plate having side flanges, is pivotally supported at 17 at the front end thereof on a bracket 17, secured to the lower portion of the front wall of the closer-hopper or closer member L, said closer member L normally covering the discharge-opening in the spout 14 of the member L, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The means for retaining the closer members L and L normally in their closed positions during the supply of material to the load-receiver and for insuring the proper relative ranges of movement of said closer members comprises a rocksshaft 18, j ournaled in a bracket fixed to the upper portion of the load-receiver; astop member 19, fixed to said rock-shaft, with its stop-face located normally in advance of its axis of movement and having a rearwardly-projecting arm 20; a counterweighted latch M, which may be of any usual or suitable construction, pivotally supported on the load-receiver and having its free end in position for engaging a projection 19 on the stop member 19, when the parts of the machine are in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4, to lock said stop member against accidental movement, and two closer-supporting rods or links 22 and 23, respectively, pivotally connected at their upper ends to the rearwardly-extending arm 20 of the stop member 19 and pivotally connected at their lower ends to the two closer members L and L, respectively.

By reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the closer-supporting rod or link 22 is pivotally connected to the rearwardly-extending arm 20 of the stop member 19 in close proximity to the axis of oscillation of said member and is pivotally connected at its lower end to one of the side walls of the closer-hopper L, near the forward u ptreme rear end of the projecting arm 20 of the stop member 19 and is pivotally connected at its lower end to the auxiliary closer member L near the middle portion thereof. The closer-member-sustaining rods or links 22 and 23 will be of such relative lengths and will be so connected to their respective closer members and to the rearwardly-extending arm of the stop member that on the release of the latch M from engagement with the stop member 19, which occurs after the proper load has been made up in the load-receiver and said receiver is on the descent, the two closer members L and L will, through the weight of the load, have a simultaneous openin g movement of different relative velocities, the supplemental closer L having a range of movement and a greater velocity than that of the main closer L, as will be readily under stood by a comparison of Figs. 4: and 5 of the drawings. In practice the opening movement of the main closer member L will be only sufficient to slightly increase the angle of the bottom wall 9 relatively to a horizontal plane and thereby facilitate the flow of material through the discharge-spout 14,whereas the opening movement of the supplemental closing member L will be sufficient to bring the same into a substantially vertical position, or into a position substantially at right angles to the bottom line of the closer member L, so that this closer member L will practically constitute a regulator for preventing the return or closing movements of the two closer members until the load has been fully discharged through the spent 14-, the angle of said closer member L being such, when said closer member is in its fully-open position, that a slight weight of material thereon will prevent a closing movement thereof.

The stream-controller in the present i11- stance is in the nature of a scoop-valve pivotally supported for oscillatory movement in operative relation with the discharge end of the supply-chute H, said stream-controller having at opposite sides thereof pivot-arms, (designated by 26 and 26, respectively,) one of said arms, as 26, being journaled in a bracket on the framework of the machine, and the other of said arms, as 26, being in the nature of a U-shaped bracket supported for oscillatory movement upon a shaft 27, journaled at its inner end in a bearing on the supply-chute H, and at its outer end in a bearing on the framework of the machine, said shaft'27 being in axial alinement with the pivot-arm 20" of said valve. The purpose of this shaft will be hereinafter fully described. This valve 25 is similar in a general way to the valve described in the patent hereinbefore referred to and is furnished with the counterweight 28 at the rear end thereof, which constitutes the valve-closin g actuator.

Fixed to the pivot-arm 26 in concentric relation to the axis thereof is a stop member 29, which is adapted to cooperate with the stop member 10 and prevent an opening movement of the closer members L and L when the valve 25 is partially or fully opened and until said valve is in the fully-closed position. (Illustrated in Fig. 5.) The stop member 19, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, cooperates with the stop member 29 when the closer members L and L are open and the valve 25 'is in its fully-closed position, which prevents an accidental openin g movement ofsaid valve until said closer members are in their fullyclosed positions, the cooperation of the re ciprocally-effective stop members 10 and 29 being substantially the same as that of like members described in the patent hereinbefore mentioned.

Formed on the pivot-arm bracket 26, at one side the axis of movement of the valve, are two bearings 30 and 30, in which is j ournaled a rock-shaft 31, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

As a convenient means for imparting an opening movement to the valve 25 I have provided in operative connection therewith a valve-opening actuator, which in the preferred form thereof shown most clearly in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, comprises a driving member or prime mover 33, supported to have a normally continuous movement in a path concentric or parallel to the path of movement of the valve, a driven member or power-transmitter (designated in a general way by P) shiftably supported on the valve and having a shoe S-t, adapted to be shifted into engagement with the driving member, a counterweighted power-transmitter actuator or auxiliary beam 13, pivotally supported 011 the scale-beam 5 and having the inner end thereof extended beyond the inner end of said scale-beam, and a thrust-rod 35, pivotally connected at its upper end to the power-transmitter and supported at its lower end upon the inner end of the transmitter-actuator.

The prime mover or driving member 33 of the valve-opening actuator is shown in the nature of a friction-drum or rotative clutch member fixed to the shaft 27, which constitutes the driving-shaft therefor, said shaft being provided at the outer end thereof with a driving-pulley 36, by means of which the same may be continuously rotated by any suitable meansas, forinstance, abelt 37, extending over the pulley 38, deriving its power from any suitable source. (Not shown.)

The power-transmitter P, which constitutes a driven clutch m ember, is shown most clearly in Fig. 5 and is fixed to the rock-shaft 31 at one side the axis of and in operative relation with the drum or prime mover 33. The construction and operation of the power-transmitter and other elements of the valve-opening actuator will be hereinafter more fully described.

As in the machine described in the patent hereinbefore referred to, I have provided a pointer or arm 39 in connection with the valve 25, which is adapted to cooperate with a bypass 40, in connection with the beam mechanism, for interrupting the closing movement of the valve when the same has arrived at its drip position; but, in contradistinction to the organization thereof as described in said patent, the arm or pointer 39 is not fixed directly to the valve, but is fixed to the rockshaft 31 of and constitutes practically an integral structure with the power-transmitter P, which, as shown, is pivotally connected to the bracket 26 of the valve at one side the axis of movement thereof.

The power-transmitter P, in the form thereof shown most clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, is in the nature of a lever pivotally connected near the middle portion thereof to the upper end of the thrust-rod 35, one arm of said lever or power-transmitter being fixed to the rock-shaft 31, which is shown journaled at the outer end in a rearwardly-projecting arm 41 on the bracket 20 and at its inner end in a bearing on the valve 25. The other arm of the lever P supports the brake-shoe 84-, which is shown pivotally carried at the rear end of said power-transmitter or lever and has its working face in concentricrelation with and in juxtaposition to the periphery of the friction-drum or prime mover 33, the disposition of the brake-shoe relatively to the friction-drun'i 33 and power-transmitterbeing such that upon a complete closure of the closer members L and L and the descent of the counterweighted end of the thrust-rod actuator the thrust-rod 35 will shift the powertransmitter P toward the axis of the prime mover or drum 33 and bring the working face of the brake-shoe into operative frictional engagement with the periphery of said drum, which drum, being continuously rotating, carries the power-transmitter in the direction of opening movement of the valve 25, which power-transmitter in turn imparts an opening movement to said valve.

During the descent of the counterweighted end of the thrust-rod actuator B the powertransmitter will have the shoe-supporting end thereof swung inward toward the axis of the valve on the rock-shaft 31 without any perceptible rotative effect on the valve during the first stages of its movement, this first movement of the power-transmitter causing the shoe Set to engage tightlythe drum or prime mover 33, it being understood that the counterweight of the thrust-rod actuator B is sufficient to cause a frictional engagement between the brake-shoe and drum that will overcome the resistance of the valve-closing actuator or valve-weight 28.

It will be obvious that the specific construction and organization of the valve-opening actuator may be modified without departure from this invention.

The construction and organization of the parts of the valveopening actuator will in practice be such that when the load-receiver G is in its depressed or load-discharging position and the valve 25 is in its fullyclosed position the working face of the shoe 3-1 will be slightly remote from the periphery of the drum or prime mover 33, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, an effective engagement between the shoe and prime mover being dependent upon the upward thrust of the rod 35.

By the construction and organization of valve-opening instrumentalities as hereinbefore described I am enabled to secure a rapid opening movement of the valve and obviate the injurious jarring strains inherent to ma chines in which the valve is directly opened by the auxiliary beam B on the sudden descent of the counterweighted end thereof.

A stop 45 is provided for limiting the opening movement of the valve, which stop is herein shown as a projection located on the supply-chute H in the path of movement of said valve.

The prime mover 33 and the power-transmitter P and its brake-shoe 34lconstitute practically a friction-clutch controlled by means, in connection with the beam mechanism, for intermittently imparting an opening movement to the valve 25, and owing to the peculiar organization of the parts thereof, as hereinbefore described, said valve 25 will, on the descending movement of the counterweighted end of the auxiliary beam 13, have an accelerated opening movement as compared with the closing movement thereof,

which latter movement is materially retarded by the action of the thrust-rod 35 during the ascent of the counterweighted end of said beam B and through the frictional engagement of the driving and driven members of the clutch.

The arm 41 of the rock-shaft 27 constitutes a crank-arm, to which the powertransmitter is pivoted, and whereby, on the upward thrust of the rod 35, said valve has an opening movement imparted thereto, said crankarm 41 practically constituting a fixture on the valve.

It will be understood that during the descending movement of the load-receiver the power-transmitter actuator or auxiliary beam B will have a movement corresponding to and in unison with the beam mechanism, but that on the ascending movement of said load-receiver the counterweighted end of the auxiliary beam B will for a portion of such as cending movement be retained in its elevated position, while the counterweighted end of the scale-beam is free to descend, this operation being substantially the same as the operation of like parts described in the patent hereinbefore referred to.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism and with a load-receiver supported thereon, of a supply-chute located above the receiver; an oscillatory valve pivotally supported in operative relation with the supply-chute; a rotative driving member supported with its axis substantially coincident with the axis of the valve and operative independently of said valve; a driven member shiftably carried by the valve; means for actuatin g the driving member; and means, including a thrust-rod, in operative connection with the beam mechanism and driven member, for intermittently effecting an operative engagement between the driving and driven members, whereby said driven member will partake of the movements of the driving member and actuate the valve.

2. In a weighirig-machine, the combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism and with stream-supplying means including an oscillatory valve and a valve-closing actuator, of a valve-opening actuator comprising a rotative driving member whose axis is substantially coincident with the axis of the valve; a driven member pivotally supported on the valve for movement with the valve in a plane concentric to the axis thereof and for independent rocking movement toward and away from the axis of said valve; and actuating means, incl udin g a thrust-rod,supported upon the beam mechanism and connected to said driven member and adapted, on certain movements of the beam mechanism, for shifting the driven member into operative engagement with the driving member to thereby impart an opening movement to the valve.

The combination, with a chute and an oscillatory valve, of two cooperative clutchv members one of which is normally continuously drivenand has its axis coincident with the axis of oscillation of the valve and the other of which is pivoted at one end upon the valve for movement in a plane concentric to said valve and is adapted to have its opposite free end shifted toward and away from the axis of said valve; and means for shiftin g the free end of the last-111entio11ed clutch member toward the axis of said valve to effeet an operative engagement between the two members.

4:. The combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism and with stream-supply means including an oscillatory valve and valve-closing means, of a valve-opening actuator comprising a rotative valve-actuating drum having its axis substantially coincident with the axis of the valve; a power-transmitter pivotally supported at one end of the valve for movement therewith and having at the opposite end thereof a brake-shoe in position to engage the periphery of the drum; means for rotating the drum in the direction of the opening movement of the valve; means, including a thrust-rod, in operative engagement with the beam mechanism, for shifting the brake-shoe of the power-transmitter into operative engagement with said drum, whereby an opening movement will be imparted to the valve; and means for limiting the opening movementof the valve.

5. In a weighing-maehine,the combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism and with a load-receiver supported thereon, of a supply-chute located above said receiver; an oscillatory valve having a crank-arm extending outward from the axis thereof; a frictiondrum supported for independent rotative movement with its axis substantially coincident with the axis of movement of the valve; a lever pivotally connected to the outer end of the crank-arm; a brake-shoe pivotally supported on the lever withits inner facein juxtaposition to the periphery of the drum; and an actuating-rod pivoted at its upper end to the lever and having its lower end supported upon the poising end of the beam mechanism and adapted, on the movement of the beam mechanism, for throwing the brake-shoe into working engagement with the drum and effect an opening movement of the valve.

6. In a weighing-n1achine,tl1e combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism and with a load-receiver supported thereon, of a supplychute located above the receiver; a counterweighted self-closing valve supported in operative relation with the supply-chute; a friction-clutch comprising two members one of which is supported for continuous rotative movement in operative relation wit-h the first mentioned member; a thrust-rod pivotally connected at its upper end to one clutch member and supported at its lower end on the poising end of the beam mechanism and adapted during the ascent of the bucket for effecting frictional engagement between the two clutch members to thereby impart an opening movement to the valve and apointer carried by one clutch member and cooperating with a by-pass for temporarily arresting the closing movement of the valve.

'7. The combination, with a loadreceiver, of a main and a supplemental closer, the lat ter of which is pivotally connected to the former and the form er of which is pivotally supported on theload-receiver arocker mounted on the load-receiver and two closer-supporting rods or links pivotally connected at their lower ends to the main closer and supplemental closer, respectively,and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the rocker in such manner as to impart to said links simultaneous strokes of relatively different lengths.

8. The combination, with a load-receiver, of a main and a supplemental closer, the latter of which is pivotally connected to the former and the former of which is pivotally supported on the load-receiver; a rocker mounted on the load-receiver; two closer-supporting links, one of which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the supplemental closer and at its upper end to the outer end of the rocker, and the other of which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the main closer and at its upper end to the rocker at a point intermediate the axis of said rocker and the pivotal point of the other link; and a latch carried on the load-receiver and cooperating with the rocker to hold the closers against accidental opening movement.

9. In a Weighing-machine,the combination, with oscillatory beam mechanism including a power-transmitter actuator and with a loadreceiver supported on said beam mechanism, of a supply-chute located above the receiver; an oscillatory valve pivotally supported in operative relation with the supply-chute; a valve-closin g actuator; a friction-drum having a peripheral pat-h of movement concentric to the path of movement of the valve; a power-transmitter having a pivotally-supported shoe with its working face in operative relation with the friction-drum, and which power -transmitter is pivotally supported on the valve; a thrust-rod pivotally connected at its upper end to the powertransmitter and supported at its lower end on the poising end of the power-transmitter actuator in such manner that on a descending movement of the counterweighted end of said actuator the shoe of the power-transmitter will be thrown into operative engagement with the friction-drum; and means for rotating the friction-drum in a direction corresponding to the direction of opening movement of the valve.

10. The combination, with a supply-chute, of a pivotall y supported counterweighted valve; a fllCtlOl1Clllll11 supported for rotative movement in concentric relation with the axis of the valve; a rock-shaft carried on said valve and having its axis parallel to, and at one side the axis of movement of, said valve; a lever fixed at one end to said rock-shaft; a brake-shoe pivotally carried at the opposite end of said lever in position to engage the periphery of the friction-drum; means for rotating the friction-drum; and a thrust-rod pivotally connected to said leverintermediate the ends thereof.

11. In a weighing-machine, the combination, with beam mechanism including an auxiliary beam and with a load-receiver supported on the beam mechanism, of a supply-chute located above the load-receiver; a self-closin g valve pivotally supported in operative relation with the supply-chute; a friction-drum supported for rotative movement in concentric relation with the valve; a rock-shaft supported on the valve, with its axis parallel to, and at one side the axis of movement of, said valve; a power-transmitting lever fixed at one end to said rock-shaft; a brake-shoe pivotally mounted on the opposite end of said lever and having its working face in operative relation with the periphery of the frictiondrnm; a thrustrod connected at its upper end to said lever at one side the rock-shaft and supported at its lower end on the auxiliary beam; means for imparting a normally contin uous rotative movement to the frictiondrum in a direction corresponding to the direction of opening movement of the valve; a

bypass carried 011 the auxiliary beam; and.

an arm depending from, and fixed to, the rock-shaft of the p0wer-transmitting lever and having its outer end in position to engage the bypass and interrupt the closing movement of the valve.

12. The combination, with a load-receiver; of a main and a supplemental closer, the latter of which is pivotally connected with the former, and the former of which is-pivotally supported on the 1oad-receiver; a rock-shaft mounted on the load-receiver; a stop member carried by said roek-shaft and having a rearwardly-projecting arm; and two closer-supporting rods or links, one of which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the supplemental closerand atits upper end to the outer end of the arm of the stop member, and the other of which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the main closer and at its upper end to the arm of the stop member at a point intermediate to the axis and the outer end of said arm.

13. The combination, with a load-receiver having a dischargeopening, of a counterweighted closer-chute pivotally supported at one end to the lower end of the load-receiver in position for closing the discharge-opening thereof, and having a discharge-spout; a supplemental closer pivotally supported at one end on the closer-chute in position to cover the discharge-opening of the spout thereof; a stop member pivotally supported on the loadreceiver and having a rearwardly-extended arm; and two closer-supporting arms, one of which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the supplemental closer near the middle portion thereof and is pivotally connected at its upper end to the outer end of the stopmember arm, and the other of which is pi votally connected at its lower end to the forward end of the closer-chute and at its upper end to the stop-member arm intermediate its ends; and means for locking the closers normall3 in their closed positions.

FRANCIS n. RICHARDS.

\Yitnesses:

F. N. CHASE, ANDREW FERoUsoN. 

